Twins Game Recap (9/11): Depleted Twins Fail to Match Up With Strasburg and Nationals

With the Washington Nationals throwing Stephen Strasburg up against Martin Perez for the Minnesota Twins and their depleted lineup, it was going to be a tough test to secure the second win in as many nights for the Twins. The Twins had a few chances as the game went on, but failed to come through with any clutch hits, as they fell to the Nationals by a score of 6-2.

The Nationals jumped all over Martin Perez, from the get-go. After retiring Trea Turner for the first out of the game, Perez gave up a double to Adam Eaton, walked Anthony Rendon, a single to Juan Soto and a single to Ryan Zimmerman. By the time the Twins even sent their first hitter to the plate, they already trailed by a score of 2-0.

The top of the third started off like a pretty harmless inning. Martin Perez retired Adam Eaton and Anthony Rendon to get two quick outs, but after a walk to Juan Soto things got interesting. Perez got Howie Kendrick down 0-2 and delivered a quality slider down below the zone that Kendrick lifted into right field for what looked like a routine fly out. However, with Eddie Rosario, nothing has been routine for him in the outfield this year, and that was the case with this fly ball, as he let it sail over his head for an RBI-double. Just two pitches later, Ryan Zimmerman made the Twins pay dearly for this mistake, as he took Perez deep to give the Nationals a 5-0 lead.

The Twins were able to answer back with a couple of runs in the bottom of the inning, thanks to a Luis Arraez one-out single, and Jorge Polanco taking Stephen Strasburg deep to cut the deficit down to three. Polanco’s homer was the Twins 277th of the season and gave the Twins the lead in the home run race over the New York Yankees.

During the middle innings the bats for both teams stayed quiet. The Twins relievers, Zack Littell, Brusdar Graterol and Fernando Romero, all pitched scoreless innings to keep the Twins in the game. Unfortunately, the Twins were unable to take advantage of that. They put up a two-out threat in the fourth, thanks to a LaMonte Wade walk, and a Jonathan Schoop double, but Jason Castro was rung up on strikes to nullify that threat. In the bottom of the eighth, the Twins had yet another chance. The Nationals made a questionable move to bring former Twin Fernando Rodney, and his 5.54 ERA into the game to face Polanco, Cruz and Rosario. The inning started off strong for the Twins, as Polanco reached on an infield hit, and Cruz drew a walk, but then Rosario, Astudillo and Adrianza all hit lazy fly balls to the outfield, killing the Twins' chances. All this was done, by the way, with Mitch Garver waiting in the dugout with his helmet and batting gloves on but was never called upon to take an at-bat that could have tied the ballgame.

Randy Dobnak came in to pitch for the Twins in the top of the ninth, and promptly gave up a solo home run to Trea Turner, to extend the Nationals lead to 6-2, which would be the final score of the ballgame, as the Twins got a couple of runners on but failed to score in the bottom of the ninth.

Going into a game against Strasburg with Perez as your starter and a depleted lineup should not go well and that is exactly what happened. Perez wasn't bad, he just wasn't bailed out by the defense. The absence of Kepler, Marwin and Sano is really noticeable in these games.

The line drive that Eddie Rosario didn't read properly and failed to catch cost his team 3 runs. To me he looked like someone giving a half hearted effort on a ball in some kind of recreational softball league. If catch made Dobnak would not have been pitching late to give up the home run.
Would have liked to see Garver in the lineup somewhere, swinging too hot of a bat to not be in the lineup. Still disappointed in Eddie Rosario. I mean he had 20 home runs in May. I feel like he doesn't always give 100% effort.
It's going to be tough against good pitching in a potential playoff series.

Cruz walked twice. Obviously not going to get anything to hit with nobody hitting behind him. Sadly, Rosario qualifies as nobody since about June...then Astudillo and Adrianza. No reason to do anything with Cruz other than to see if he’ll chase.

Cruz walked twice. Obviously not going to get anything to hit with nobody hitting behind him. Sadly, Rosario qualifies as nobody since about June...then Astudillo and Adrianza. No reason to do anything with Cruz other than to see if he’ll chase.

Good point on Cruz, but I feel like he could have gotten something to swing at if he wouldn't have chased early in the count. Or maybe I've just been playing too much MLB the Show..

Garver needs to play. Cron needs to play. If Sano or Kepler can play, they need to play. Everyone is banged up this time of year, time to stop babying them all. We can't win with the line-up we trotted out there tonight. And I'm looking forward to getting some pitching for Rosario.

Garver needs to play. Cron needs to play. If Sano or Kepler can play, they need to play. Everyone is banged up this time of year, time to stop babying them all. We can't win with the line-up we trotted out there tonight. And I'm looking forward to getting some pitching for Rosario.

Well there you have it Rosario will now go on a hot steak.
I missed Littel but Grateral and Romero looked good.

Pretty embarassing... watching Rosario, Astudillo, and Adrianza let 5.50 ERA Rodney take them out in the 8th. Eddie really needs to dig deep and step it up. Astudillo shouldn't even still be on this team. But Eddie....... he really needs to be a team leader and get his mojo working.

The Garver thing looked weird. Unless Garver simply got up on his own and was getting ready, it was a bad non move by Rocco. If Garver did get up on his own to get ready, it was still a bad non move by Rocco. Garver could have PH and not even caught. He was the most obvious choice to get back in the game. Maybe Chief was right? This resting thing is getting out of hand.

At this point, there's no reason to be sitting Garver or leaving him on the bench in big spots. This should be the stretch that we've been resting him for all year, but Rocco continues to "keep him fresh" for games that may not exist at this point. He's tempting fate in terms of possibly one of the most embarrassing collapses in Twins history. Most people will blame the injuries, when the reality is that there are several steps we could be taking along the way to mitigate them.

I still think we should win the division, but I'm starting to wonder what it's going to take for Baldelli to put our best remaining players on the field on any given day. You also have to start to wonder how many times we need to see Eddie Rosario lunge at ball 4 6 inches outside with bases loaded before he gets moved out of the cleanup spot. He has absolutely shot us in the foot for the last few months and yet again Baldelli seems to be basing his decision on personal relationships rather than stats that everybody but him can see.

Garver needs to play. Cron needs to play. If Sano or Kepler can play, they need to play. Everyone is banged up this time of year, time to stop babying them all. We can't win with the line-up we trotted out there tonight. And I'm looking forward to getting some pitching for Rosario.

Gotta agree with you. I can understanding resting guys for "precautionary reasons" in July, maybe giving some of the regulars a few days off.

But the Twins can't hit right now. Can't score runs. Take away a few clutch Garver home runs and the Twins offense can barely scratch together 2 runs per game over the past 2 weeks!If Kepler, Sano, Gonzalez, and Cron can physically play right now, they should be in the lineup.

Cleveland has won 4 straight. They have 3 with the Twins this weekend, if they sweep (which they very well could considering both Bieber and Clevenger are going in that series), the Twins will be in a tie for 1st place on Monday morning.

And Oakland and Tampa are also ahead of Cleveland in the Wild Card. Both of those team by next Tuesday and could very well miss the playoffs entirely.

Cleveland has won 4 straight. They have 3 with the Twins this weekend, if they sweep (which they very well could considering both Bieber and Clevenger are going in that series), the Twins will be in a tie for 1st place on Monday morning.

The lead is still 4 games, and Cleveland is off today, so even if the Twins lose today vs Washington *and* get swept in Cleveland, we'd still be a half-game ahead on Monday morning. Although I doubt anyone would feel too confident at that point, regardless of a half-game lead!

The earliest the Twins could technically be tied for 1st place would be Tuesday morning.

And Oakland and Tampa are also ahead of Cleveland in the Wild Card. Both of those team by next Tuesday and could very well miss the playoffs entirely.

Oakland is only a half-game ahead of Cleveland (or, 3.5 back of the Twins), and Tampa is only a half-game ahead of them (3 back of the Twins). While it's possibly for a team to make up a 4 game deficit over ~15 games, it's not likely -- and it's even more unlikely that multiple teams would make up a 3-4 game deficit over ~15 games.

Fangraphs still has us 95.2% to win the division, and 99.2% to make the playoffs.

This was a good litmus test for the playoffs and I'm not impressed... Over the next couple of weeks they get to pad their stats against terrible teams with bad pitching.

They won't get that luxury come October, and will square off against Strasburg types every night. Right now they don't appear to be up for the challenge.

If we're talking strictly about starting pitching, then yes, they clearly don't appear to be up for the postseason challenge against the top teams in baseball.

But we have to cut them some slack regarding last night's game against Strassberg. Cruz looks like he's still not feeling great. Rosario looks to be nursing a couple of body parts IMO. That game may have gone so much differently with Kepler in RF and in the lineup, and with a healthy Sano, Cave, Gonzales. Garver and Cron.

This team has the ability to sneak in a win against a top pitcher who has something other than his best stuff, but they gotta get healthy.

Maybe I worry too much, but to my way of thinking we do not have a spot clinched for the playoffs and certainly not the division championship. I have seen too many teams fold down the end to take anything for granted.